A drain cleaning snake is a cable inserted into a drain pipe to clear deposits blocking the drain. Such devices are used for sink drains, toilet drains, and household sewer pipes. The cable is rotated during insertion to help the leading end of the snake pass through curves in the pipe such as grease traps and to work through blockages.
These devices are operable in drain pipes with only smooth curves such as grease traps. However, condensate drains for equipment such as air conditioners, refrigeration units, and dehumidifiers are often formed with smaller pipes having elbows that are sharply curved 90 degrees and are not smooth. One common type of condensate drain is formed of 19 mm (¾ inch) PVC pipe with multiple elbows to route the pipe from the equipment to a desired outflow location. A PVC elbow creates a step or ledge 30 as shown in FIGS. 5-8. The ledge is formed by the end of the continuing pipe section 24.
Conventional drain snakes will not pass such a ledge 30, so condensate drains are cleaned by using a vacuum attachment on a wet/dry shop vacuum and/or with chemicals and/or water pressure. None of these methods are as effective, convenient, inexpensive, and safe as a drain snake in accordance with the invention.